The Reckoning
by Kassidy62
Summary: FINAL PART OF A HALLOWEEN TRILOGY - The Charmed Ones confront the demon Asenoth


**The Reckoning**

The Conclusion of "All Halliwell's Eve" and "Paige's Demon"

Paige walked back to the manor, dragging her feet. She didn't know what to say to Piper and Phoebe. She didn't know what to_ do_. She didn't want to tell them about seeing David again—they would never understand. Hell, she didn't understand.

She wasn't used to having sisters. Running to them with every confidence was completely foreign to her. She'd been alone a long time before they came along. She had to tell them something, it was driving her crazy. But how?

As she opened the front door, she heard Piper call her name from the kitchen and stuck her head in through the door. "Listen, I think Phoebe struck gold," Piper said, grabbing Paige's hand and pulling her behind her up to the attic. Phoebe showed her the entry that she, Leo and Piper had discussed earlier.

Paige read the description of Asenoth from the Book of Shadows and sat down with a thump on the couch. "My God," she breathed. "It makes sense. It's all coming together now."

"So he's the one?" quizzed Piper.

"Yeah, I'm sure," she answered, still staring at the open book. She looked out of the corner of her eyes at her sisters. "At least, pretty sure."

Just then, Leo orbed in. "Well? What'd the Elders say?" asked Piper.

"Well—nothing." he said. "They said to come back later."

"You have to make an appointment now?" Piper said, indignant.

"The Elders are busy, too, you know," said Leo defensively. "They deal with a lot of important things."

"Then it seems they'd _know_ how urgent this is, Leo," retorted Piper.

"What, you want me to get in their faces?" he said. "Wouldn't be very smart."

Piper glared at him.

"Okay, pipe down, you two." Phoebe patted them each on the back.

"Well, what do you think, Paige?" Leo asked her.

"About what?" she answered absently.

"Asenoth. Is he the demon who attacked you?"

"She's positively almost sure," said Phoebe.

Leo frowned. "You're the only one who saw him, Paige, so it's up to you to ID him."

"Really," said Piper. "I'd hate to try and vanquish the wrong demon."

"Sounds unhealthy, doesn't it?" agreed Phoebe.

"What do you want me to say?" Paige snapped. She looked tired and out of sorts. "To the best of my knowledge, I'd say it's our demon. But there's something more. Something just doesn't quite fit. There's a piece missing. I can't place my finger on it. He was so nice, you know? I can't believe he's a demon."

"Yeah, if you don't count the part where he tried to kill you, he could be considered nice," said Piper.

Phoebe shot her a warning look. "Is that _really_ necessary, Piper?" she said and turned to Paige, touching her arm, "Well I didn't meet him, so to speak, but from the premonition I got the idea that he_ was_ good, and then he changed or something. A good demon, that doesn't make any sense …" she trailed off. Piper snickered behind her back. Phoebe turned to face her. "I said something funny, right?" she said, looking at her sisters and Leo.

"Oh, I don't know, Phoebe. Maybe we could ask Cole." Piper arched a brow playfully as Leo grinned.

"Oh, uh, Cole's just half-demon. Okay, so I'm an idiot, smart-ass." Phoebe's voice floated behind her as she started downstairs. Piper and Leo followed. "Coming, Paige?"

"Be right there," she called, flipping idly once more through the Book of Shadows. She was looking for something to help her makes sense of what had happened, maybe complete the picture, somehow. She stopped at an entry and read it.

**Possession**

_The most common occurrence of supernatural possession involves demonic intent to seduce a mortal soul. The demon must persuade their victim to commit an act of great evil. Once the soul is weakened by the act, the demon takes full control, usually ending in the sacrifice of the possessed one's life.  
_

Paige tapped the book. "This is the missing piece. It makes sense, and it explains Phoebe's initial feeling that David was good—and mine," she muttered. She closed the book and clattered down the stairs to join her sisters.

Phoebe was just getting off the phone. "That was Darryl. A woman's been killed and he wants us to come take a look, see if there's any similarities to the attack on you, Paige."

Paige flashed back to the Halloween party, then David's face as she'd last him at the bar. She winced, rubbing her brow.

Phoebe touched her arm. "You okay?"

"Of course," Paige said, straightening. She nodded briskly when Phoebe didn't move. "I'm good, trust me. Ready for duty."

The girls and Leo left the manor, driving to the address Darryl had given Phoebe. Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up and stepped out of the car into the organized pandemonium of a crime scene. Police vehicles and a fire truck lined the sidewalk of the blue-collar residential neighborhood. The girls gave their name and Darryl's name to a police officer standing nearby.

Soon they were ushered up the steps of the front porch and inside the small home, Piper in the lead. They crossed the living room and walked into a spare, tiny bedroom, Darryl nodding a greeting at them as they came to stand beside him.

A dead woman lay crumpled against the wall as if she'd been flung there. Blood smeared the wall and pooled around her head. Piper closed her eyes momentarily and Phoebe turned away, hand over her mouth. Paige didn't blink, but stood horrified, staring at the body.

"Donna Dyer, age thirty," said Darryl. "Murdered, obviously."

"What makes you think this might have something to do with what we're working on, Darryl?" Leo asked.

Darryl grimaced. "Probably nothing, but you're looking for someone attacking women and to tell the truth, something's bothering me about this one." He knelt beside the body. "Look at this. Bite marks. On the neck. The face. Everywhere."

Paige was still staring as if hypnotized at the dead woman. She reached up to rub the yellowing bruise on her shoulder. "I'd be willing to bet that's him, all right," she said woodenly.

Later, as they were pulling the car up to the manor, a sober Piper spoke up. "This is serious, guys, we've got to do something about this, and do it quick. I'm sorry to do this, Paige, but Phoebe and I both know something has been bothering you ever since the night of the party. If you're hiding something from us you need to tell us now, okay? Before one of us gets hurt."

Phoebe cast a quelling look Piper's way. "Honey, what's wrong? Did _we_ do something wrong? Can we help?" Phoebe turned off the car engine.

Paige swallowed, miserable, then squared her shoulders. "The only thing bugging me is you guys pressuring me to say something I'm not ready to say. Asenoth sounds like a definite lead, but there's something missing. I have an idea, but—I don't know, I—look, I'm not Prue, okay? I'm not perfect and I don't have all the answers. Or any of the answers, even." She laughed, but it caught in her throat. "I can't even control my powers very well—" She broke off, forlorn and angry.

"Paige, no one said we wanted you to be like Prue-" began Piper.

"Nobody had to. Listen, I'm sorry, I'm just tired or something. I think I need to be alone for awhile. I need to think. I'll call you later, okay?" She didn't wait for an answer, hopping out of the door and slamming it shut.

"Wait!" Phoebe said, but the door had already closed.

"Well, didn't that go just great," murmured Piper. "Why is it that every time we get into something intense, Paige flees the scene?"

"She's not used to having sisters, that's all."

They got out of the car and went up the walk to the porch. The front door was unlocked.

"How many times have I asked you to lock that door?" asked Leo, looking at them each in turn.

"Talk to Phoebe about it." Piper gave Phoebe a sidelong glance.

"I know, I know, Leo, it's a bad habit I picked up from Prue. She never locked doors except for the attic, sometimes," said Phoebe. They'd just stepped inside when Cole shimmered in before them.

"Where have you been?" demanded Phoebe.

"What does every half-human demon do in their spare time? More of the same—it's the same thing, every day," he sighed.

Phoebe punched his arm, then kissed him fervently.

"I missed you, too." Cole smiled.

"Hey, maybe Cole knows this demon. So what do you know about Asenoth?" asked Phoebe.

"Plenty," said Cole, tensing. "He was a member of the Brotherhood for awhile, but he had his own agenda. He likes to play with humans, and I don't mean in a good way. He likes to corrupt from within—to possess. He'll keep at it until he drives them crazy or gets them to kill someone. He gets power from his victim's emotions. Sometimes he literally bites them and drinks their blood." Cole's face was grim.

"We think Asenoth is behind the attack on Paige at the party," Piper said.

"He might have been working the human, but he hadn't gone over or Paige would have been hurt—or dead." Cole shook his head. "If he hasn't fallen, it means you've got an innocent to save and a demon to vanquish, and I don't know if you _can _vanquish him. At one time Asenoth was the Source's right hand. He is not to be underestimated."

"It doesn't look like David's still an innocent. Darryl called us in on a murder just today. The woman's body had bite marks all over it," Phoebe said.

"You have to make sure the mortal did it and not the demon, unless you intend to kill them both," Cole said.

"We don't kill innocents," said Leo, looking annoyed. "I'm going back to the Elders, okay? You two," and he looked at the sisters, "need to mend the situation between you and Paige. It's causing a rift that's bad for you, her, _and_ the Power of Three."

Glaring at Cole again, Leo orbed out.

"You," said Phoebe, looking at Cole, "stop antagonizing Leo, and you-" she said to Piper, and then sighed. "Let's just go get Paige."

"I think that's the wrong thing to do, Pheebs," said Piper thoughtfully. "We need to give her time to come back on her own."

"Time is what we _don't_ have, Piper," said Phoebe, exasperated.

"I'd like to wait until Leo comes back, anyway. He may have something useful to tell us."

Paige lay on her bed at the loft, thinking. She was so tired of trying to figure out what to do, what to tell her sisters. Tired of feeling as though she would never measure up. She wanted to do the right thing and go to them, but she wanted to help David, too, and she didn't think she'd be able to convince her sisters that he was still an innocent. She wasn't trying to protect the demon, she was protecting David—but at this point, the two went hand in hand. David had gotten in way out of his depth, practically inviting invasion by an evil spirit, and the demon had been there, waiting.

Possession. The demon they were after wasn't just a demon in human form. It was Asenoth _within _David, fighting for possession of his immortal soul. The Book of Shadows had confirmed it for her.

But this was her responsibility. Her demon, as Piper had said. She didn't want to expose Piper and Phoebe to danger when they didn't believe in David.

Maybe she could do this on her own. She was a witch, too, after all, with formidable powers. She'd already learned to cast spells. Then everything would be back to normal between her and her sisters—and no more hiding things, either, if she got out of this one.

She grabbed paper and pen and began to write.

"Demon or mortal

The Three called in vain

Now both together

I call you in twain

Come and be near

Demon's mortal

I summon you here

Step through the portal

David and Asenoth

I call you by name

Be drawn to me

Moth to flame."

She chanted the spell and waited with bated breath, hardly daring to hope—and then David appeared before her as if from thin air.

Momentarily disoriented, his eyes roved quickly around the room and then met Paige's gaze. "_Please_ tell me you have nothing to do with what is happening to me."

"I want to _help_ you," she replied firmly. "That's why you're here now, with me. I summoned you."

"I suppose I should be surprised you've got supernatural powers of some sort, but I'm not. This is not your business, Paige." He turned away away from her and sat on the side of her bed. He was holding something.

It was a gun.

Paige's eyes went wide. "What the hell is that for?"

"Send me back home."

"Not until you tell me what you're doing with that."

"No."

"Just no? What does that mean?"

He gave her a brief, cold smile that didn't touch his eyes. "My accent's surely not all that difficult for you. You can understand a simple no?"

"Don't make this any harder, okay?"

David sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Look, I know you think I've lost my mind, but –but _he_ wants things of me. Things I can't accept. He made me hurt—he tried to make me hurt you, and now this damned _thing_ got in my head today and—I can't live with it. I won't let it happen again." He nodded towards the gun, eyes empty of emotion. "He thinks he has me now, but I won't be a pawn."

"Won't let what happen again? Tell me," Paige said.

"_Send me back_." His eyes widened, almost imperceptibly, and his skin went pale as paper. "Now," he said, voice low.

"You're crazy if you think—" she began.

"I _killed _someone. You understand now?" His voice was rushed.

Paige lifted her chin stubbornly. "You didn't. He did."

"What do you know about him—never mind. I didn't want you to see this," he said, eyes clear, voice firm. "I'm sorry. I won't kill for him again." He jammed the gun up and under his chin.

"Gun!" Paige screamed, and as he began to put pressure on the trigger, the gun luminesced from his hand into her outstretched palm.

He dropped his hand and stared at it, turning it.

"David, please look at me. Listen to me. I'm going to help you, you are _not_ going crazy."

"I was there. I was with her, and I—I woke up and she was dead, covered in blood—do you _hear _me? I'm a danger to you. To everyone around me. I killed her." His eyes were wintry, emotionless. "You've seen him. You know. He almost had control again just now, but he left me. Imagine. Maybe he didn't want to be _within_ when I blew my brains out." He laughed shortly.

"David, you don't know what I know. I'm telling you _this is not your doing_. He has you right where he wants you—ready to give up. Despair is his weapon of choice. I summoned you and you came because I am a witch. I know who is tormenting you, and I know that he can't make you hurt anyone. When you didn't hurt her last night, he took over, but not for long. Have you noticed it's never for long? He hasn't been able to claim you because you're not lost. He can drive you to the brink, he can belittle you, make you crazy, but the sin that damns you has to be of your own will. Then he'll take you over completely."

"It doesn't matter if he used me to do it, don't you understand that? She's dead and I don't even know her name."

"You would remember it," she answered gently, "if it had been done by you."

There was a long silence. David put his head in his hands and rubbed his face.

"David, please, please, trust me."

"You say you know who he is. Tell me," he said.

"His name is Asenoth. He's a demon." she replied.

He laughed miserably. "This is insane." He shook his head as if to clear his head. "Do I even want to know how you know this? I mean, you're a witch, and since you're against him, I guess—I _hope_ like hell that you're of the 'Glenda the good witch' variety? Am I really having this conversation?"

Paige grinned at him. "Wait till you hear the spell I made to get rid of him," she said.

David's face went even paler. He sat up straight. "Intermission's over. Paige, if you can do it, now would be a good time."

"Wish me luck." She stood.

He stared at her. "My God, wish you luck?"

"Demon and mortal

The two combined

Evil coupled

With goodness entwined.

One in another

Demon and lover

Uncouple the two

Let demon be demon alone

Send him to Hell

Where demons dwell

And mortal be mortal alone."

As Paige's voice drifted over the loft, it began to darken. The darkness became a live thing, heavy and pulsing with malice. She shivered, feeling chilled fingers run up her spine. Her nails dug into the palms of her hands, and she uncurled her fingers with a conscious effort.

There was a sound, a cracking sound—as if a tremendous pressure were coming to bear on the ceiling, the walls, the floor. The sound segued into another—a low, powerful, sound that filled the loft, unspeakably evil, coming from everywhere and nowhere.

Paige's skin crawled. A crushing pressure began to drive the breath from her body. Terrified, she nonetheless stood her ground, pulling labored breaths into her lungs, waiting. Watching.

Gradually she noticed the darkness and the pressure lessening. Then silence blanketed all as the presence distanced itself from the room like an afternoon thunderstorm. David moved to stand beside her, clasping her hand. He was adrift, eyes preoccupied, inwardly listening. They stood silent for some time. He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.

She watched his still face—light eyes surrounded by a fine ring of darkness, a sensual, somber mouth—and felt a powerful attraction. Gone was the heavy, drugged feeling from the party that night, replaced by a powerful, undeniable yearning.

As if sensing her thoughts, he turned to face her. Again, as before, she was hit with the intimate intensity of his gaze upon hers. His finger traced a line from her cheek to chin, and he murmured, "Now how the hell do you know all about this? About me?"

"I know who the demon is and what he does to people. We looked him up in the Book of Shadows."

"We?" He looked puzzled. "Book of Shadows?"

"My sisters and I. We looked him up in the book. I didn't know I was a witch until recently—my powers weren't active. Remember when I told you about my older sister who died? That's when I came to know."

"A month ago I'd have thought you were insane." He looked thoughtful. "Even now it's a bit much to take on."

Paige quirked her mouth at him. "You don't know anything yet. My sisters have been teaching me how to use my powers, but I'm still very new at this. I've cast a few spells, and orbed things—"

"Orbed?"

"Yeah, like when I took the gun from you."

"That's proven useful, hasn't it," he said dryly.

"It saved your life," she retorted.

He laughed. "I think you've saved me in more ways than one." His hands touched her waist, caressing her hip. "I can be really appreciative, you know," he said seriously.

"I can't imagine how."

"Want me to show you?" He smiled down at her.

"You could give it a try," she murmured as his lips came down on hers. He kissed her slowly. Paige felt her body begin to relax as his arms wrapped around her. She touched his chest, then reached up and stroked the back of his neck and up, entwining her fingers in his hair.

"David?" she whispered.

He spread his palm over the small of her back, holding her there. She shivered and pressed closer. He stroked her back, murmuring her name. He pulled back and looked into her eyes.

She grasped his hand and led him to the bed.

Paige awoke and tensed for a moment at the sight of a form beneath the covers beside her. She relaxed, and grinning, ducked under the covers. Soon after, a startled exclamation was heard and then David's head appeared as he threw the covers partially back. "Hey, you—" he exclaimed, then added, "Hey you," again in a tender voice. He leaned over her, blond hair awry, and kissed her reddened lips, then pulled back and smiled, cool gray eyes turned warm. She ran her hand over his muscled chest, then threw her leg over him. He pulled her close, arms surrounding her.

She sighed, then gasped and sat straight up. "Hey, we have to get up!" She threw the covers energetically off both of them.

He groaned. "Oh God, tell me you're not one of them."

"One of whom?" she said, getting out of the bed and standing beside him naked, hands on her hips.

He cracked an eyelid open again and then sat up appreciatively. "One of those people that _bound _out of bed, that's what," he grumbled, eying her at the same time. "Guess I'll just have to get used to it," he added.

"Yup, you will," she agreed. "We've got to get over to my sisters house, pronto. I have a lot of explaining to do and amends to make. I hope you have a thick skin. They're not going to like it when they find out I've been keeping things from them."

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I can't express to you, really, how much I'm looking forward to this. Don't we have a little more, you know, fun time, date time, before you throw me to the family lions?"

She threw a pillow at him, then plopped back down on the bed. "You mean 'sex out the wazoo' time, right?"

He grinned at her. "I'm sure that's what I mean, though I don't know a wazoo is."

Paige dove under the covers. "Lucky you have me to show you."

Paige was awakened by David shaking her shoulder. She opened her eyes with an effort, seeing he'd dressed. She closed her eyes and curled up on one side. His warm hand rested comfortably on her hip as he leaned over and nuzzled the inside of her neck. She signed happily and opened her eyes once more as his mouth roamed down her shoulder to her arm. His eyes rolled up, meeting hers, and a cold arrow slid into her heart as he stared at her.

_Oh my God. _She struggled to keep calm as panic overwhelmed her.

"Get up if you want to see your sisters tonight."

She sensed that he carefully modulated his voice to seem normal. "We'll go later," she said quietly.

"I thought you were so eager to go?" He fixed his frozen stare upon her. She couldn't look away. "So you know," he said softly, indifferently.

"I'd have to be an idiot not to know," she answered, just as soft.

His pupils retracted, infuriated, before his expression turned cold. "David is weak. He's a part of me now. He knows what I'm going to do to you. He likes it. He can't wait." He smiled. His voice was David's, and not his at all. "It's what you wanted at the party, isn't it? If your sister hadn't come outside—but I'm patient. He and I, we'll both get what we want. You'll both be in Hell together." He leaned close, his breath tickling her ear. "You think I can't make him hurt you? You and your pathetic spell. But he was right about one thing. You were so _good _for him," he whispered. He loomed over her, stroking her hair, her face. His mouth came down to meet hers.

She felt cold inside. Numb and far away. She pushed at him, looking into his eyes. "David, you have to help me. Don't let him win. He wants to hurt me like he did that other woman."

His silver-flecked eyes froze.

"David. Her name was Donna Dyer. He killed her. Help me. He can't make you do this—"

His whole face wrenched. "Get out of here!"

Paige leapt up, threw on her shirt and grabbed her pants, racing for the door. She put a hand on the knob, hesitating. He screamed at her to leave, then begged her.

She turned the knob. Stood there.

It wasn't any good. It might get her killed, but she couldn't make herself leave, knowing David was still trapped in there with him.

It had grown dark. Piper was sitting on the couch. Increasingly impatient, Phoebe paced the downstairs. "Could Paige know that David is possessed? That he's already killed—could that have been why she was so upset? Is that what she's been hiding from us?" Phoebe asked Piper. She sat down next to her sister on the couch. Her eyes narrowed. "Do we know, Piper- do we know, for _sure_, that she's not seen him since Hallows Eve?"

Before Piper could answer, Leo orbed in. "Thank God. Did they tell you anything that might help us, Leo?"

"Yeah, but it's not good," he replied. "There is no chance of vanquishing Asenoth, even with the Power of Three, unless you can get him out of the innocent's body first," he said. "Otherwise he'll use the innocent as a firewall. You'll end up killing him before you get to the demon."

The sisters stared at Leo. "And just what—" Piper started, when Leo interrupted her.

"She's in trouble. We have to go to her."

"Then let's go, _now_!" said Piper, and holding her in one arm and Phoebe in another, Leo orbed them all into Paige's loft. They stood together in a tight knot and were relieved to see Paige standing in front of her doorway, unharmed. David blocked her path.

"Leo," said Piper softly. "What can we do? I'm afraid I'll blow him up if I try to freeze him."

Then David disappeared.

"Oh, this is not good. Not good!" yelled Phoebe. "Paige, are you all right?"

Paige didn't answer. Piper suddenly felt her feet go out from under her and she was flung across the room. She crumpled against the wall, sliding the rest of the way down. Leo shouted her name, running to her side. Her head was bleeding, and he raised his hands over her, healing her quickly.

A fist smashed into Phoebe's face. She grunted in pain and covered her face with her arm. Quickly she levitated and spun, kicking out on all sides. There was a crash as the demon flew into Paige's dresser.

"How do we get the demon out, Leo!" Phoebe yelled.

"I don't know!" he said, frustrated. Paige still stood in front of the doorway where they'd first seen her. Leo spoke to her urgently. "Paige, your sisters need you!" She blinked, dazed, at him. "What's wrong with you? We need your help!"

Phoebe was flung violently to the floor. Leo and Piper rushed to her aid. Phoebe shook her head and sat up.

"It's too late to save him," said Piper grimly, looking Phoebe in the eye.

"You don't know that yet, Piper. That's what you said about Cole. We all did, we all thought it was too late. I can't make that mistake again!" Phoebe said, raising her voice.

"We have to do something—look at Paige!" Piper shouted. "She's defenseless like this!"

Phoebe's eyes narrowed, hurt. Piper moved to stand next to Paige. "You have a choice, the same as he does—Paige! Did he hurt you? Do you want us to try and save him? We can't if you don't come back to us - we need your help!" She grabbed her sister by the shoulders.

Leo was flung back suddenly, landing near the sink. Remembering something from the Book of Shadows about Asenoth, he scrambled for a glass on the counter and set it underneath the faucet. He turned the tap on and suddenly reeled back as if punched. Leo shook his head, then grabbed the glass as it filled and flung it, guessing the direction. David reappeared, screaming out in pain, water dripping down his chest.

Cole shimmered into the loft.

"Where have you been?" shouted Leo.

"Taking care of some bounty hunters," Cole said, cocking an eyebrow at him. "I see you've got everything under control." He turned to David. "Ah, Asenoth. Sorry I didn't recognize you before. It's been a long time. Could have been longer." He flung an energy ball at him which the demon narrowly avoided.

"Cole, no! You'll harm the innocent!" Phoebe yelled.

Cole barked a laugh. "If it's him or you," he said, grimly, "I'll kill him. Without a thought, understand?" But Cole rushed David instead, throwing a punch at him.

The force of the punch threw David back. "I thought you were dead, Belthazor," Asenoth said. Blood ran from his nose. "But maybe we can take care of that right now." He slammed Cole's head into the wall and shoved him down to the floor. Grinning, he smashed his foot down on the side of Cole's head. Phoebe screamed and ran to Cole, followed quickly by Leo.

Laughing, the demon grabbed a handful of Phoebe's hair as she knelt. Leo raised his hands over Cole's face, healing him swiftly.

Piper faced Paige and spoke quietly, urgently. "Paige, your family needs you. We love you. Something's hurt you, but you've got to come back to us, _right now_." She stared at Paige a moment longer, waiting, then walked to the night stand. Phoebe shouted Piper's name. Piper picked up the .38, leveled it with steady hands, and fired.

David collapsed on top of Cole.

No!" Paige yelled, and ran to the two on the floor. David whipped his head around and moved as if to get up.

Cole gritted his teeth, slinging David to the ground, and dug his fingers deeply into his throat. Squeezing harder, Cole yelled, "Damn you, Asenoth, come out!" A black, viscous shadow came oozing out onto the floor. "Paige," Cole growled, "choose, Paige. Who's it going to be? Him or us?" She stared at Cole's furious blue eyes, then looked at David, then her sisters. "He's trying to go back _in_, Paige!" Cole roared. "Choose!"

Paige ran to her sisters, shaking, nauseated, trying to overcome the fog enveloping her mind, and grabbed their hands. "Follow my lead," she said. Her voice shook.

"Demon and mortal

The two combined

Evil coupled

With goodness entwined.

One in another

Demon and lover

Uncouple the two

Let demon be demon alone

Send him to Hell

Where demons dwell

And mortal be mortal alone."

The shadow, which had again surrounded David's head, vanished completely. He lay motionless on the floor. Paige knelt beside him, then looked away.

Leo came to her side. "He's not dead, Paige. I can help him. We both can, if you want." Together they raised their hands over David. White light poured over him. He opened his eyes and stared, uncomprehending, into Paige's anxious brown ones.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"I'm fine." He smiled warily, confused. "What have I done this time?" No one answered as he looked around the silent group.

Paige hesitated, then gripped his arm. "I think he's gone for good."

"You have to be awfully strong to vanquish a demon with his power. Pretty neat trick," said Cole.

"No trick," Phoebe said indignantly. "The Power of Three handed him his _ass_."

Cole cocked a humorous brow at her. "The Power of Three," he intoned, mocking her. Phoebe shoved him.

"These are your sisters … and?" David asked, even more confused.

"This is Cole, David," said Phoebe, stepping forward. Not a hint of recognition crossed his brow. "This is Leo, Piper's husband."

"Piper," said Paige hesitantly. "Did you mean what you said to me?"

"Of course," said Piper, smiling.

"Of course she did!" Phoebe echoed loudly. "But let me tell you something. You don't hide things from us, ever again. It almost got you killed, and I'd rather you didn't. Get killed, I mean. We love you just the way you are. Not dead."

"Just the way you are," echoed Piper. "—well, you could be just a _little_ more—" then changed the subject at the stern look on Phoebe's face. "Paige, what happened to you? Did he hurt you?"

Paige shook her head. "I'm okay."

Piper's eyes narrowed. "You sure?"

"No, I'm not. I need to talk to David."

"Got it," Phoebe said, grabbing Piper's arm. "We get it, right?" Piper nodded reluctantly.

"I'll be over right after work tomorrow," Paige promised. Her sisters hugged her.

"I'm really, really glad you're okay," Piper said, and hugged Paige again. Paige smiled. The two sisters left the loft with Leo and Cole, leaving David and Paige alone.

He took her hand. "Are you going to tell me what happened?" he asked quietly.

Taking a deep breath, she told him as quickly as she could. She didn't want to think about it any more than she had to.

He moved closer to her. "And that's everything? Did I—did—"

"No," Paige said. She wouldn't look at him.

He reached out to touch her face, and she flinched. He took a step back, self-loathing on his face. "You're scared of me. God. I hurt you."

"I swear," she said, and this time she did look at him, "you didn't do _that._ I mean, he didn't."

"I am so sorry," he whispered.

"I know you are." She stepped closer, then reached out and held his hand. "I mean it. It wasn't you. I know that. Asenoth. He's responsible." She looked up at him. "Could we maybe—could you just give me some time?" Her eyes pleaded with him.

"Don't look at me that way. I don't deserve it. This isn't some self-pity thing, that's not what I mean. You've been terrorized, and you of all people shouldn't have to ask me for anything with a look like that on your face. It's like he's still here in the room, Paige," he said, his voice desperate. "Isn't that what you feel like?"

She didn't answer.

"A part of you can't help but wonder if there was a way I could have stopped him," he said. He nodded, squeezing her hand. "I know. Me, too." He looked away, blinking.

"No," she said. "You're wrong. I'm not wondering that. I know better."

"I don't. Donna Dyer died, and I don't know that."

"You couldn't have stopped him. Believe me."

He nodded. He reached a careful arm around her. "Is this okay?" he whispered. She nodded again, lips trembling, and he let his hand rest lightly against her back. "I understand why you can't see me anymore. I do," he said very softly. He paused. "Is it presumptuous of me to say I think I would have loved you very much?"

"No," she said, her voice trembling. "Not to me."

"I'm sor—"

"Don't."

"I can't help it. I am. And the only thing I can think of to make it better is this."

He took a step away, gaze fastened to hers, still holding her hand. Then he let go and walked out the door.

The End

alternate ending:

He was halfway down the walk in front of her place when she materialized in front of him. He stumbled back in surprise.

"No," she said.

"Paige, I—what?"

"Is my accent too difficult for you to understand? No. I don't want you to go away. Yes, I need time—time to be with you, to see the real you, your face when you're happy and your eyes when you smile, instead of that other thing that took you for a ride."

"I'm not an idiot. I know he hurt you."

"He put a whammy on me, somehow. When my sisters showed up. He made me see images of what he'd done to Donna. He told me he'd do the same to me. I couldn't break away from him, and yeah, I think it was because I was so open to you. But I'm _not _some delicate little thing."

He shook his head. "Believe me, I'm the last person who'd ever say that about you. I just can't believe you're here." He looked at her solemnly, his eyes even lighter than normal in the glow of the streetlight. "My head's none too straight now, either. We'd make quite a pair."

Paige stepped closer, feeling his warmth against her body. "I'm a witch. I see bad things all the time. I know what they look like. Trust me, you're not one of them."

He looked away from her, then finally spoke again. You're sure about this?"

Paige leaned in still closer. "Tell you what. See what you think."

She kissed him then, long and slow and sweet in the dark on the sidewalk, and he kissed her back, putting his regret and then his hope into it, trusting she'd know it for what it was.


End file.
